Vladimir Putin’s Russia accused of chilling plot to use sniper to assassinate European leader in bid to halt NATO membership bid

Extraordinary allegations have been laid at the doors of Russia amid claims of plot to murder Montenegrin leader who wanted his nation to join NATO

BY PATRICK KNOX

7th November 2016, 12:33 pm

Updated: 16th November 2016, 9:04 pm

A MOSCOW linked militia are being accused of conspiring to murder the prime minister of Montenegro in a sinister bid to curtail NATO power.

Prosecutors in the Balkan state have revealed explosive claims that nationalists from Russia hatched a plan to have a sniper shoot dead the leader as part of a coup attempt.

AP:Associated Press

Milo Djukanovic wants his tiny country to join NATO and defy Russian influence

The conspirators are said to want to stop the tiny country – which used to be part of Yugoslavia – from ever joining NATO.

They have been accused of plotting to do this by toppling the pro-Western government and replacing it with a Moscow friendly one.

A gang of 20 suspects from neighbouring Serbia were arrested at the border last week.

The men, who are linked to Russian nationalist militias supporting rebels in eastern Ukraine, are accused of trying to recruit a skilled long-range marksman to assassinate long-serving PM Milo Djukanovic.

AP:Associated Press

A supporter of pro-American Mr Djukanovic holds the Stars and Stripes during celebrations after October's parliamentary elections

Getty Images

Putin is said to be furious about Mr Djukanovic's ambition to join forces with the US-led West by joining NATO

‘GET OUT OR DIE’

Montenegrin state prosecutor Milivoje Katnic said: "The organisers of this criminal group were nationalists from Russia whose initial premise and conclusion was that the government in Montenegro led my Milo Djukanovic cannot be changed in election and that it should be toppled by force.

"State authorities revealed that a criminal group had been formed on the territories of Montenegro, Serbia and Russia with a task to commit an act of terrorism.”

"We don't have any evidence that the state of Russia is involved in any sense ... but we have evidence that two nationalists from Russia were organisers."

Russian officials have denied an involvement.

Russia MoD

The paratroops are deployed to bolster the 'defence' of Russia's ally, Serbia

Paratroopers arriving in an airbase outside the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Thursday

The drama happened days before Moscow’s arch rival NATO staged a civil emergency drill in Montenegro.